Author: devinbrainch

Categories
CFB

Why the Buckeyes are poised to go back-to-back

The Ohio State Buckeyes have had a stellar start to their quest to defend their National Championship from last season. Despite some doubt from the national media, the Buckeyes have picked up big wins against ranked teams including Texas and Illinois. Currently, they are 7-0 and ranked number one in the nation, but the question remains if they will be able to keep up this momentum as they enter crucial late-season games. 

Last season, after a brutal loss to Michigan that made some feel like their season was over, Ohio State went on arguably the most impressive playoff run in college football history, as they won four straight games to win the National Championship. It wasn’t just their offense or defense that led to their success, as both were the best in the country, and had almost no weaknesses.

Entering this season, Ohio State underwent major offseason changes, as it lost numerous key players, including quarterback Will Howard and wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. Although they have a weakened defensive line, the majority of their defense including the linebacker group and secondary improved significantly. Ultimately, the biggest question entering this season was how their offense would hold up with redshirt freshman Julian Sayin at quarterback.

Through seven weeks of the season Julian Sayin has not just met his expectations, he has blown them out of the water. Although he is given some help with the number one wide receiver in the country, Jermiah Smith, and an elite running game, he has been able to play carefree football and win games. Sayin currently has the highest completion percentage in the country at 78.4%, and the third highest QBR at 199.8. Despite his elite stats, when watching Ohio State’s offense, there is a clear leap that he still needs to take, as they are playing pretty conservatively with lots of screen passes. Similar to Will Howard last season, I believe Ryan Day will give Sayin the green light come playoff time to pass downfield more often and truly show his talent.

When it comes to the defense, they have been lights out, allowing on average only 5.9 points per game. Although the offense has been pretty good, the defense deserves almost all the credit as they force turnovers at a high rate and barely let the other team cross the 50-yard line. Although we will have to wait and see how they fare against a true offensive juggernaut like Indiana come playoff time, they have shown so far that they are the best in the country.

Ohio State has already won the national championship, and it is looking like they are on pace to win another, but nothing matters for them this season if they cannot beat Michigan. It will be no easy task to win in the Big House, but with Ohio State’s loaded talent, they have no excuse not to win.

Categories
NFL

Can defenses really win championships? Analyzing the path to a Super Bowl win.

The phrase, “Defense wins championships,” is often tossed around when debating if a team can contend for a Super Bowl in the NFL. Supporters of this argument cite examples of historically dominant defenses that became the focal point of championship-winning teams. Examples include the Legion of Boom, the nickname of the mid-2010s Seattle Seahawks defense, which led them to two Super Bowl appearances. Another is the 1985 Chicago Bears defense known as the Monsters of the Midway, which led Chicago to its first-ever Super Bowl win. These legends make a strong case that defense does, in fact, lead to championships; however, we need to look at a greater sample size to determine how accurate this statement really is.

Graph by @tejfbanalytics

This graph by data scientist,Tej Seth, shows the offensive and defensive rankings of teams that appeared in the Super Bowl between 2012 and 2022. The immediate takeaway from this data is that having a top 15 offense is essential for Super Bowl contention. Other than the 2015 Denver Broncos who were a significant outlier in NFL history with the struggling Peyton Manning-led offense constantly bailed out by the defense, every other Super Bowl team had a top-tier offense. This makes logical sense as football is a quarterback-oriented game in which teams win by scoring points.

Additionally, the range of defensive rank presented here is much wider and seemingly less impactful than the high offensive standards these teams have. When taken at face value, this graph suggests that the statement “Defense wins championships” must be false and that the offensive line-up is the ultimate decider of regular-season and playoff performance.

As I dived deeper into the topic and looked at more specific examples, I realized that this graph may not tell the whole story as it only looks at teams that appeared in the Super Bowl. While some of these teams may have had poor defensive performance in the regular season, they likely excelled in every other category, including coaching and playoff performance. Looking at more specific examples of teams that missed the playoffs altogether, as in the chart below by Opta Analyst, we start seeing an interesting picture that highlights the importance of defense. Consider the 2024-25 Cincinnati Bengals.

Chart by Opta Analyst

The Bengals are the most recent and well-known example of a defense blowing a team’s season. Led by MVP finalist Joe Burrow and triple crown winner Ja’marr Chase, it seemed inevitable that this team would end up in the playoffs. Despite putting up a dominant offensive performance week in and week out, the Bengals defense allowed more opposing team points than they could score, leading to loss after loss, and ultimately a 4-8 record. This has happened numerous times throughout NFL History, notably to Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints, who lost games despite having the best offense in the league.

I would argue that while having a strong defense doesn’t necessarily correlate to winning championships, having a weak defense may cost a team the opportunity to try. To me, a team who wants to contend for a Super Bowl should prioritize finding their franchise quarterback and then follow up by creating a solid defense. Judging by recent history, we know it’s almost impossible to win a Super Bowl without an elite quarterback; a strong defense, on the contrary, while it isn’t make or break, does improve the odds.  

So, does defense win championships? Maybe not, but a team with a strong balance of offense and defense will always stand a much greater chance than one who leans heavily to a single side of the ball.

Categories
NFL

Amid contract chaos, the Bengals have many decisions to make

The Cincinnati Bengals have faced a rollercoaster of an offseason, with many unique and ongoing contract situations that have been the center of attention. In March, the Bengals’ front office re-signed wide receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, an outcome that most NFL fans and analysts viewed as unlikely due to the wide receivers’ high market value, along with the tight salary cap restrictions the Bengals face. The contracts of Joe Burrow, Jamarr Chase, and Tee Higgins now take up 44% of the Bengals’ salary cap space in 2025, leaving them with very little room to improve the rest of the roster. 

This has all led up to the drama the Bengals have faced surrounding their superstar edge rusher Trey Hendrickson. Hendrickson, who led the league in sacks last season with 17.5, still has a year left on his contract but wants an extension now. It has been somewhat unclear what exactly the Bengals have offered Hendrickson, but he is unhappy with it as he has been sitting out of mandatory minicamp. Although I want to side with the front office on this issue, it is very difficult considering Hendrickson’s claims that they had no communication with him for two months following the NFL Draft. Hendrickson has clearly expressed his anger and it seems as though he is willing to sit out as long as it takes. The Bengals need to make a decision as soon as possible whether they are willing to pay him the money he is asking for, and if not, they need to find a trade destination for him. To me, the Bengals must re-sign Hendrickson. Considering that the Bengals had a bottom-five defense last season which ultimately led to them missing the playoffs, Hendrickson was one of the few bright spots. Since the Bengals did practically nothing to improve the defense during free agency, I believe that it is very important that they retain Hendrickson if they want any chance to compete for a playoff spot. 

It is no secret that the Bengals owner, Mike Brown, has been historically cheap when it comes to paying players, but it feels as though since entering the Joe Burrow era, that narrative has flipped. To me, it seems as though the Bengals are willing to spend the money but now just want to win the argument with Hendrickson, which has ultimately been a distraction to the team’s offseason. 

Although the front office’s approach in handling the Hendrickson situation has been questionable, I completely side with them in their other heated negotiation that being rookie defensive end, Shemar Stewart. The Bengals drafted Stewart out of Texas A&M with their first-round draft pick this year in an effort to improve their defense. It has now been two months since drafting him and they are yet to agree to his rookie contract. For the most part, rookie contracts are fairly straightforward as the salary they receive is determined by the draft pick that they were selected with. The issue Stewart has with his contract has nothing to do with the money and rather has to do with the language in which the contract is stated. The Bengals have included a clause that essentially allows them to void future guaranteed money if Stweart were to break team rules or face trouble with the law. Stewart is arguing that the Bengals’ previous first-round draft picks, Myles Murphy and Amarius Mims, did not have this clause in their contract. The Bengals however, are trying to set a precedent for all future contracts to include this clause. Although the Bengals are getting heat from the media for once again being difficult in their contract negotiations, it is important that the Bengals stand their ground. The “void clause” is becoming more common in NFL contracts throughout the league, and top rookies in this year’s class, including Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter have signed the clause. Although some ridiculous situations have been thrown around where Stewart can re-enter the draft next year and join a different team, I believe he will sign eventually. If the Bengals give in and remove the clause, they will never be able to include it again as their future rookies could also sit out. Over time, Stewart will sign the contract as there is no chance he will pass up the money that comes with being a first-round draft pick.

The Bengals front office is facing a very difficult offseason, but if they can re-sign Hendrickson and stay patient with Shemar Stewart, they will have all their distractions behind them and they can lock in on making another Super Bowl run.

Categories
NBA

The Minnesota Timberwolves are about to shock the world

The NBA Playoffs are reaching a crucial point as we are a few games into round two. So far, round two has had a historically unprecedented start as every underdog currently leads or is tied in their series, giving them a major advantage as home-court switches. With all the attention on the Pacers and the Knicks, it is time to put some respect on the Minnesota Timberwolves. 

Currently tied 1-1 in their series against the Golden State Warriors, the Timberwolves are in a prime position to go on an NBA Finals run. With Steph Curry out likely until game six, the Timberwolves should have no problem making it to the Western Conference Finals. Then, they would face either the Thunder or the Nuggets, both teams that would be heavily favored against the Timberwolves. Despite what most believe, I think it is important to look closely at the Timberwolves’ roster in comparison to their opposition in the West because I believe they would be a bad matchup for any other team. 

Starting with Anthony Edwards, a player who many argue looks like the next coming of Michael Jordan. When watching Anthony Edwards, it is clear that he has the full offensive package, being the most explosive and versatile offensive player in the league. Most people, however, don’t realize that he is an elite perimeter defender who can give the opposing team’s best player a rough night. Moving deeper into their starting lineup, the Timberwolves have Jaden McDaniels and Julius Randle at the forward positions. Combined, these two players bring a solid balance of defense and offense, but most importantly, they complement Anthony Edwards’ game very nicely. Those three players alone give the opposing team a lot to deal with, but the true X-Factor is the center from France, Rudy Gobert. Being a four-time defensive player of the year, Gobert makes it almost impossible for opposing players to score in the paint. This will come in clutch when facing either Shai Gilegious Alexander or Nikola Jokic, two elite players who rely on their interior scoring ability. Additionally, since he is seven feet tall, Gobert poses a serious offensive threat when the opposing defense is putting all its efforts into slowing down Anthony Edwards. This was proven a few nights ago when Gobert had a 27-point–24 rebound game. 

Although the Timberwolves are a six-seed and historically bad in the playoffs, this team has the potential to win the title this year. Anthony Edwards beat Kevin Durant in last years playoffs, LeBron and Luka in round one this year, and is well on his way in beating Steph Curry. By the time the season is over, the torch will be passed as Anthony Edwards will have his first ring and will be on his way to being the next NBA legend.

Categories
MLB

No, the MLB should not ban the new “torpedo” bats

With the MLB season starting last week, there is already much discussion about a particular aspect of the game unique to this season. No, I am not talking about the pitch clock or robot umpires. Instead, the new “Torpedo” bats, introduced by the New York Yankees, have sparked one of the biggest debates in sports currently. 
The torpedo bat was created by New York Yankees analyst Aaron Leanhardt, and introduced by the Yankees in their game against the Milwaukee Brewers. In that game, the Yankees hit nine home runs, leading them to win 20-9. Directly after these games, the league took notice and many other MLB teams placed orders for the new torpedo bats. Fans and analysts started to see a trend after the Cincinnati Reds debuted the torpedo bats against the Texas Rangers, a game in which Elly De La Cruz went 4-5 with 2 home runs and 11 RBIs. Now that the torpedo bats have proven to be effective in batters’ performance, it provokes an argument for and against the use of the bats.
The bat itself has a thicker barrel closer to the batter’s hands and is thinner up top, which helps certain batters both make contact more often and have more power. Although the bat currently complies with the MLB rules, many skeptics believe that the bat will be banned since it gives an unfair advantage to the batters, therefore disincentivizing pitchers to throw strikes. Even if the bat is currently legal, historically the MLB has been open to rule changes as needed. 
For me as a baseball fan, I believe that the torpedo bat is perfect for the MLB in 2025. In recent years, the MLB has made many changes to drive viewership up, including implementing a pitch clock and widening the bases. Although those changes were effective, the MLB will be best revived if many runs are scored. For the casual baseball fans, they are not looking to see low-scoring pitching battles, instead, they want to see strong offense. For the MLB, the torpedo bat is great since they can increase the hits in a game without doing anything controversial like they have done in the past with juiced balls. As this debate rages on, it will be interesting if the MLB decides to take action or stick with the new bats.

Categories
CBB

Three March Madness games that could bust your bracket

It is finally March which means the most unpredictable tournament in sports takes place as the March Madness bracket was announced today. For the first time in a few years, it feels like this year’s NCAA tournament is up for grabs as there is no singular dominant team like we have had with UConn in the past few years. With the First Four starting on Tuesday and the first round starting on Thursday, it is time to start thinking about which upsets to pick. Historically, the 5 seed vs. 12 and 6 seed vs. 11 seed have been prone to upsets, but in recent years we have also seen more major upsets of 1 and 2 seeds. There are three games that you need to pick the upset to keep your bracket perfect.

4 Texas A&M vs. 13 Yale

We have seen both Yale and their Ivy League rival Princeton have big wins in this tournament in back-to-back years. When it comes to these Ivy League teams, their offense thrives in big moments and is very difficult for their opponents to handle. Last year, Yale shocked the world by beating Auburn in the first round of the tournament, an upset no one saw coming. This year, however, everyone should be on upset watch. So far this season, Yale has put up a strong fight against numerous power conference opponents including Purdue and Minnesota. Matched up against Texas A&M, a team that has been up and down through the year, Yale should be able to ride the momentum they have built up and win this game. 

12 McNeese vs. 5 Clemson

Picking McNeese to pull off the upset might be questionable to some, especially considering that they were a popular upset pick last year just to get blown out. This year however is different. McNeese went 27-6 and finished first in the Southland conference. Although they lost to Alabama, one of the top teams in the country, they held their own and made it a close game. In March Madness, all they need is to make it a close game, and then their high-powered offense can take over in the biggest moment. The closest comparison to McNeese is 2024 Furman who pulled off a major upset over Virginia. For Clemson, they have not been very impressive this year, only having five quad-one wins. Although McNeese is a very beatable team at times, if they can get hot at the right moment, we could witness a major upset here.

4 Arizona vs. 13 Akron

The Akron Zips are one of the most high-powered offenses in the country, finishing eighth in points per game among every school. Although the Zips have yet to win a NCAA Tournament game, this year is their best opportunity. They are on a hot streak currently, winning the MAC in multiple thriller games. This team is experienced in close games and will be able to hit the big shots when they need to. The Arizona Wildcats however are not a team to underestimate as they have put together a very impressive season. If they can take an early lead, it might be too much for Akron to handle. However, I expect Akron to keep this game close, in which case a big upset could be brewing.

Although it may be tempting to pick all three of these upsets in your bracket as it is March Madness, statistically speaking, only one or two of these will actually happen. With March Madness being so unpredictable, we will have to wait and see if these games bust peoples brackets

Categories
NBA

Luka to LA: The trade heard around the world

At 11 pm last night, the NBA world was shocked as Dallas Mavericks superstar, Luka Doncic, had been traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. Now that it is confirmed that Shams Charania was not hacked, and the trade is real, it is safe to say that this will go down as the biggest trade in NBA history. 

Although there are many strong opinions regarding this trade, one thing is clear, this was a desperate move by Mavericks GM Nico Harrison. Currently sitting at the eighth seed in the Western Conference, it looked to be difficult for the Mavs to make a deep playoff run this season. Whether it is because of his looming contract extension or his poor conditioning, Harrison didn’t feel Doncic was fit to lead the team back to glory. This is shocking given that Doncic led the Mavs to the NBA Finals just a season ago. Either way, Harrison believes that Anthony Davis’ big defensive presence will instill a defensive culture in Dallas. Although this is probably true, trading your 25-year-old MVP-caliber player for a 31-year-old injury-prone player is a terrible idea. Only time will tell if Anthony Davis paired with Kyrie Irving will even be better for the Mavs to win now. 

For the Lakers, this is an all-time great trade. Although they have been successful this season, sitting fifth in the west, they did not have the talent to beat the OKC Thunder or Denver Nuggets in a seven-game series. Anthony Davis had been playing at an elite level, but his age was starting to show, and injuries are an inevitability for him. Pairing Doncic with LeBron James not only cements the Lakers as a top team in the NBA, but it also sets up the Lakers with their superstar for the next ten years. When LeBron inevitably retires in the next few years, the Lakers will have Doncic to build around. 

This trade is yet another example of the rich getting richer in the NBA. The Lakers went from Magic and Kareem to Kobe and Shaq, to LeBron and Davis, to now LeBron and Luka. We will have to wait and see how both the Lakers and the Mavericks look on the court after this trade, but less than 24 hours after this trade it looks like the Lakers won this trade by a landslide.

Categories
NFL

Amid a historic season, Joe Burrow deserves the MVP award

Entering week 18 of the NFL season, the AFC playoff race has heated up significantly as the Broncos, Bengals, and Dolphins, are all fighting for the final spot. Despite the drama, the Broncos look to have the easiest path as they will likely be playing the Chiefs backups in their playoff-clinching week 18 matchup. This would leave the Bengals out of the playoffs for the second straight year, despite the historic quarterbacking season Joe Burrow is having. On pace for 5000 passing yards, 45 passing touchdowns, and under 10 interceptions, Burrow is leading the league in every important quarterback statistic. Despite all this, Burrow is not the MVP favorite as he trails behind Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. 

         This is a very unprecedented situation as the Bengals have the best offense in the league. Yet, their historically bad season is costing them a playoff spot and Burrow an MVP. So far, the Bengals have six losses when scoring 25+ points which has never happened before. Given an average defense, the Bengals would be vying for the one seed in the AFC, instead, however, they are fighting to even qualify for the playoffs. Although there are many other reasons for their underachieving record such as starting the season slow, poor coaching, and injuries, the defense has taken the most significant blame. 

         Now on a four-game win streak with a rejuvenated defense, MVP talks for Burrow have been heating up. Historically, Drew Brees is the only quarterback in NFL history not to win MVP when passing for 45 or more touchdowns (and he only lost it because Aaron Rodgers passed for even more). Looking at the other two candidates Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, they are both also having historic seasons, however, they have help as both their team’s defenses are top ten in the league. Ultimately, if Burrow were given Buffalo or Baltimore defense, not only would they be the best team in the NFL, but he would also be a unanimous MVP. 

If the NFL truly gives the MVP award to the league’s most valuable player, Burrow would be the perfect candidate. First off, the MVP is an individual award, not a team award. Additionally, the Bengals are proving that wins are not a quarterback exclusive statistic. If you replace Burrow with a league average quarterback, the Bengals would be lucky enough to win three games. If you apply the same conditions to Baltimore or Buffalo, both teams would remain as playoff contenders. Burrow is the definition of the Most Valuable Player.

         Ultimately, Burrow is not only having the best quarterbacking season this year, he’s having one of the greatest individual seasons in the history of the NFL. If the Bengals pull off the most unlikely comeback and qualify for the playoffs, it would be a league failure to not give the MVP to Burrow.

Categories
NFL

The New York Giants need to make significant changes this offseason

The New York Giants are a disaster. Last week, they released quarterback Daniel Jones, who they had signed to a $160 million extension before the season. It was featured on their offseason edition of Hard Knocks, that the Giants could either re-sign Saquon Barkley to a relatively expensive salary for a running back, or they could re-sign Daniel Jones. They chose the latter and just 10 weeks into the season, they have had enough. Meanwhile, Saquon Barkley, now a member of Giants division rival Philadelphia Eagles, is on pace for one of the greatest statistical seasons for a running back ever. Following releasing Jones, the Giants lost to the Buccaneers 30-7, and as a result their rookie star wide receiver, Malik Nabers, has had enough. I would not be surprised if he wants out by the end of the season.

If anything is clear, the Giants need a franchise quarterback as soon as possible. Although it would be ideal for them to increase their offensive line and defensive strength before investing in a quarterback, with young talent like Malik Nabers uneasy, their priority must be to draft a quarterback.

Now that any playoff hopes are thrown away, the Giants need to tank for the first overall draft pick, which they can use to select Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders. Although this upcoming draft is not very quarterback-strong, Sanders is the outlier as he has been elite throughout his entire collegiate career. Along with his skills, Sanders brings in confidence that the Giants organization lacks. Drafting Sanders would not only satisfy Malik Nabers, but it would also mean more wins for the Giants.

The other move that will be necessary to turn the franchise around is to fire head coach Brian Daboll and GM Joe Schoen. Although Daboll won coach of the year in 2022, he is not competent enough to lead the team to be a playoff contender again. As a replacement, the Giants need to go all in on the Ben Johnson sweepstakes. Johnson is the current offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions and one of the most anticipated head coach candidates for some time. His offensive play calling along with potentially Shedeur Sanders and Malik Nabers could make for one of the strongest offenses in the NFL. For GM Joe Schoen, he is making moves too safely and avoiding any risky decisions that could be beneficial to the team. 

It is important that the Giants make these decisions as soon as the regular season ends or the entire fanbase and organization will lose hope. Now that Daniel Jones is gone, that was the first move of many needed to bring the Giants back to being a contender.

Categories
CFB

Indiana should not be excluded from the College Football Playoffs

            After Indiana’s blowout loss vs. Ohio State, the College Football Playoff race became much more interesting. The recent expansion to the 12-team playoff has sparked heavy debate: Should a team with more wins be ranked higher? Or should a team with a harder strength of schedule be ranked higher? Indiana was undefeated before entering Columbus; however, they have no playoff-defining wins, making many people skeptical about whether they deserve to qualify for the CFP. They question if Indiana should qualify over a two-loss team such as Georgia or Tennessee with “better losses.”

         In the new system, the conference winners from the Power Five automatically qualify for the playoffs. The CFP Committee then decides the remaining seven teams. With Indiana’s loss to Ohio State, their likelihood of winning the Big Ten is slim to none. It will be up to the committee to decide whether they qualify.

         Although the majority of sports media and fans are against Indiana given their easy strength of schedule, this team deserves to make the playoffs. Historically, Indiana has been viewed as a basketball powerhouse with limited success in football. Bringing in Curt Cignetti immediately changed all of that as his coaching has been the key to their success both offensively and defensively. Cignetti was arguably the best coach in college football this year and leaving him out of the playoffs would be disrespectful to what he has accomplished. Cignetti reasoned that Indiana’s collapse was due to the stadium’s loudness and the opposing team’s pass rush, which they had not experienced before this game. Given a second chance against another powerhouse football team, expect Indiana to stand their ground much stronger.

         It seems everyone is arguing that Indiana’s blowout loss to Ohio State, the number two-ranked team in the country, is enough to eliminate them from playoff contention. The popular opinion is to include two-loss SEC teams. This argument is completely unfair to Indiana because Georgia and Tennessee had much worse losses: Georgia was blown out by Ole Miss and Tennessee lost to Arkansas. Both these losses are to teams who would be happy to be ranked by the end of the season. Despite this, losing to Ohio State is somehow considered worse.

         Let’s not forget that Indiana has a very talented roster to complement Cignetti’s coaching. Kurtis Rourke is the most underrated quarterback in the country and only struggles when his offensive line doesn’t give him time to pass the ball. With Rourke’s elite throwing, Indiana statistically has one of the best offenses in the country; they are averaging 41.3 points per game which is the second highest in all of college football.

         Ultimately, the stats don’t lie, and neither do the wins. Curt Cignetti has turned around Indiana’s football reputation and deserves to be given a college football playoff spot as a result.